When I saw this photo on Pinterest (which I've blogged about before), I cringed. Knowing that Christmas lights are often rife with lead, which is used both to insulate the wiring and as a flame retardant, seeing a child handling Christmas lights and putting them in his mouth, was off-putting to say the least. (And this isn't to mention the other dangers that come to my mind, at least, such as electrical and strangulation hazards…)

I did see one "pinner," as Pinterest users are often called, comment about the lead hazard. She also points out that, to her credit, the original photographer added a warning to her site, stating that she didn't know about the lead danger at the time the photograph was taken. Sadly, many people will not see these comments and the photo is extremely popular, having already spawned many, many imitations.

In any case, this scenario is a good reminder of why it's important to be aggressive in obtaining information about health hazards, especially when it comes to your children. Many don't know that electronics, including phones, and even keys are lead hazards, and it's not unusual to find babies handling or chewing on cell phones or bunches of keys.

In an age where chemical exposure is ubiquitous and often completely uncontrollable, we must be as aware as possible about the dangers we can limit – and we must spread the word.

For more on lead hazards and Christmas allergy triggers, see:
Christmas Lights Found With Potentially Unsafe Levels of Lead
Tis the Season for Sneezing?
How to Protect Your Children from Lead Poisoning